Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39776358›Full record

ArticleJournal of occupational rehabilitation2026

"Missing Mobility": Perspectives of North American Firefighters on the Risks and Causes of Work-Related Shoulder Disorders: A Qualitative Study.

Temitope A Osifeso, Joy C MacDermid, Dorala A Berinyuy, Pulak Parikh, Kenneth J Faber

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Article in Journal of occupational rehabilitation, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Temitope A OsifesoDepartment of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Western University, 1201 Western Road, London, ON, N6G 1H1, Canada. tosifeso@uwo.ca.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6595-0109
Joy C MacDermidDepartment of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Western University, 1201 Western Road, London, ON, N6G 1H1, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9311-7379
Dorala A BerinyuyDepartment of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Western University, 1201 Western Road, London, ON, N6G 1H1, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-8933-7852
Pulak ParikhDepartment of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Western University, 1201 Western Road, London, ON, N6G 1H1, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3242-3094
Kenneth J FaberClinical Research Lab, Hand and Upper Limb Centre, London, ON, N6A 4V2, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1025-6600

Funding

This research was funded by Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) 493857
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFirefighters are routinely exposed to significant work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) which can sometimes be career-ending due to the workplace stressors and the physical demands of the job. Shoulder disorders are the third most frequent WRMSDs that cause pain, disability, and morbidity in the general working population. However, little is known about the task-specific causes and risk factors for work-related shoulder disorders (WSDs) among firefighters (FFs).

objectivesTo explore the perspectives of FFs who experienced WSDs with respect to the following: (a) risk factors of WSDs; and (b) causative factors for WSDs.

methodsUsing an interpretive descriptive methodology, we purposefully sampled for age and occupational diversity. Twelve FFs (males, 8 and females, 4) between 26 and 63 years, who experienced WSDs during their career ranging from 3 to 33 years were recruited. One-on-one interviews based on a semi-structured interview guide were conducted via an online Zoom platform and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.

resultsThe WSDs reported by FFs included rotator cuff tears, labral tears and muscle sprains or strains. Three themes were identified as risk factors for WSDs: (1) too much or too little shoulder exercises is a risk for shoulder injuries; (2) internal contextual factors can increase the risk of shoulder injurie; and (3) personal factors such as age and sex mediate the risk of shoulder injuries. Three themes were reported by FFs as the causative factors of WSDs: (1) unpredictable hazards in harsh environmental conditions can lead to traumatic shoulder injuries; (2) maneuvering heavy equipment in non-ergonomic positions can lead to shoulder strains; and (3) routine firefighting tasks can lead to gradual onset of shoulder injuries. IMPLICATIONS: Our results emphasized the inter-related and multifaceted nature of the risks and causative factors that increase the risk of traumatic or gradual onset WSDs among FFs. There is a need for a comprehensive prevention and self-management program that addresses fire-specific prevention and treatment program that addresses modifiable environmental, behavioral and personal risks factors.

Indexed as

FirefightersMusculoskeletal DiseasesOccupational DiseasesShoulder InjuriesAdultFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchRisk FactorsFirefightersMusculoskeletal healthOccupational healthShoulder injuries

Identifiers

PMID39776358

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.